Introduction SOFAD is an association which brings together social, career and academic

opportunities for individuals interested in a range of food associated disciplines

(Food Science, Nutrition, Food Safety, Food Process Engineering, Dietetics,

Population Health Nutrition, Exercise Nutrition and Wine Science).

It also raises awareness of the importance of these disciplines.

Society of Food Associated Disciplines SOFAD Newsletter A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — I S S U E 3

Past Events • Lightning Seminar Series

• Tip Top Manufacturing Plant tour.

• Opportunities in Food & Wine with

Paul Kilmartin & Paul Harrison.

• Semester 2 Opening

• Student Dietitians Panel

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

• Fonterra Careers Talk

• Annual General Meeting

• Careers Insight

• Employment Workshop

• Food Waste Management Tour

Monthly SOFAD Lightning Seminar Series

Upcoming Events

Current News

A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — I S S U E 3

S O F A D N E W S L E T T E R

Climate change reducing nutrition in staple foods

In field trials, C3 grains and legumes (such as wheat, rice, peas and soybeans) grown with elevated atmospher-ic CO2 resulted in decreased zinc and iron compositions. This finding has important implications on the ongoing climate change and may exacerbate current iron and zinc deficiencies already affecting two billion people world-wide.

By Myers et al., Nature

Invasion strategy of the foodborne pathogen: Salmonella Typhimurium

Epithelial cell linings defend our gut against pathogenic attacks. However, salmonella has virulent genes that can pass these epithelial cells and systemically infect the body through transport via invaded macrophages. It was discovered Salmonella Typhimurium maintain its viru-lence within the epithelial cells by critically depending on glucose as fuel for growth and reproduction.

By Bowden et al., PLoS ONE

Trends and solutions in combating global food fraud

Widening of the global food supply chain increases the challenges to safeguard against food fraud from “source to fork”. The types of food fraud include adulteration, tampering, overrun, theft, diversion, simulation and counterfeit. Solutions suggested include increasing sci-ence-based regulations, standards and acts, and imple-menting scientifically sound food defence plans.

By Patrick Pimentel, Food Safety Magazine

Mechanism elucidated for DHA blood-brain barrier transport

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain growth and cognitive function. Despite our brain being abundant in DHA, it cannot be synthesized locally and requires delivery from the circulation. Using mice models, the mechanism of DHA transport across the blood-brain bar-rier has been discovered to mediate through the Mfsd2a transporter.

By Nguyen et al., Nature

Transgenic mice can produce polyunsaturated fatty acids on a carbohydrate diet

Omega-3 fatty acids maintain important bodily functions and offer a range of health benefits but these cannot be synthesized internally by mammals. Recently, a group of researchers managed to engineer a transgenic “Omega mouse” which is able to produce omega-3 fatty acids. This allows future mammal meat and milk to be endoge-nously enriched with omega-3.

By Pai et al., PLOS ONE

Research at the University of Auckland “Guilt-Free”Chocolate

Brooke Mullins; Associate Professor Siew-Young Quek;SchoolofChemicalSciencesFormy3rdyearproductdevelopmentprojectIworkedwith 2 classmates to develop a chocolate that womencould eat without the guilt that usually accompanieschocolateconsumption.Therewere2aspectstothecon-ceptof theproduct– irstly thechocolatehadnosugaraddedtoitandsecondlyweincorporatedapomegranateilling, because of their associated health bene its tobreast cancer. These combined aspects allowed us tomarket this as a “women’s” product, aswomen tend tobe more health conscious than men. The biggest chal-lenges we encountered during the development of ourproductswererelatedto lavourandtexture,asremov-ingthesugarfromchocolatehasasigni icantimpactonboth components. We explored a variety of substituteingredients in order to overcome these challenges anddeliver a chocolate product which still had a great la-vourandtexture!CaffeineimprovesEyeMovementduringExercise

Charlotte Joy Waikauri Connell; Dr. Nicholas Gant;Dr. Benjamin Thompson; Department of Sports andExerciseScienceDuring exercise, both the exercising muscles and thebrain suffer from fatigue. At present, scientists knowlittleabout‘brainfatigue’.Previously,ourlabhasshownthatprolongedexercisefatiguesthebrainandslowsthespeedofeyemovements.Thisisconcerningbecauseour

eyes need to move quickly and accurately to focus onimportant aspects in our environment. Caffeine is awidelyuseddrugwithknownfatigue-reversingproper-ties.Forthe irsttime,ourstudydemonstratesthatcaf-feinereversesthedecrementsineyemovementvelocityfollowing the exercise-induced fatigue. Slow eyemove-ments could restrict thebrain’s ability to recognise im-portantchangesinoursurroundings.Amoderatedoseofcaffeineduringexerciseprevents thisandmayenhanceperformancebyincreasingthespeedthatthevisualsys-temoperates.UltrasoundInactivationonBacteria

Shengpu Gao; Associate Professor Yacine Hemar;ProfessorGillianLewis;SchoolofChemicalSciencesUltrasonic treatment isapotentialmethodto inactivatemicroorganismsinfood.Severalbacteriaweretreatedatdifferentgrowthphasesbybothlow-frequency(20kHz)and high-frequency (850 kHz) ultrasound in aqueoussolutions.Afterlow-frequencytreatments,lethaldamageto Enterobacteraerogenes and Bacillus subtilis was in-duced. However, only minor effects were observed forStaphylococcusepidermidis,at least in part due to theirprotective capsule layer (extracellular polysaccharide)that was resistant to the ultrasound caviation-induceddamage.Conversely,withthehigh-frequencytreatment,all bacteria were inactivated from the sonication-generated hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide. Apost-ultrasonication effect was identi ied as bacteriacontinued to be inactivated after the treatment.

S O F A D N E W S L E T T E R

A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — I S S U E 3

Careers Pathway AhmedAl-Sa i

FoodTechnologist,B&HFoodsLtd.TheprimaryroleandresponsibilitiesforaFoodTechnol-ogistvariesfromoneindustrytoanother,Iamcurrentlyresponsible for managing the Food Safety Programme,qualityassurance,researchanddevelopmentandsolvingtechnical problems in the factory. It is very challengingand rewarding to be part of a growing industry special-isedinthemanufactureofsauces,mayonnaises,toppings,juicesandmanymore,toensureallproductsaresafeforconsumption.Itisalsoextremelyrewardingtoproducealaboratoryscalefoodprototypethatmakesitallthewaytotheindustrialscaleproduction.

CindyLi

Laboratory technician & Export Co-ordinator,MatakanaEstateWineryMatakanaEstateWinery is locatednottoofaroutsideofAuckland. It is away from the concrete buildings andmakes me feel more free and relaxed during work. Mymain role during harvest season is to do some routinetestsongrape juiceorwine fermentation,suchassulfurtests,residualsugar,aciditytestsandmore. Sinceatthemoment,Chinaisthebiggestoverseasmarket,Ialsohelpwith supply chain operations and coordinate exports toChina.Itrulyenjoyworkinghere;itgivesmeacloseanduniqueopportunitytoknowtheromanceandsciencethatswirlaroundwineandthewineindustry.

DavidCifuentes

Process Technologist - CNI, Fonterra Co-operativeGroupLimitedMycurrentpositionanddepartmentatFonterraprovidesme with thrilling knowledge, challenges and opportuni-ties that substantially progress me in my professionaldevelopmentandcareerpathway. Myroleallowsmetointeractwiththeproductionandthesuppliersaswellasseveral other areaswithin the company. Here, I putmyengineeringandfoodtechnologyskillstogooduseonthemanufacturing and managing projects I am responsiblefor.TheseprojectsenableFonterratocontinuetobepic-tured as a trustworthy source of dairy nutrition world-wideandmakeadvancementstoremainatthefrontieroftheindustry.

The Committee Janine Lawton - President

Linh Ta - Vice President & Treasurer

Trang Duong - Advisor

Brianna Dean - Head Events Co-ordinator

Wayne Lee & Agata Djongianto

- Events Co-ordinators

Laura Aprilyani - Secretary

Charlotte Oelofsen - Media Design

Shikha Pundir - External Communication

Seresa Lapaz & Brian Fu- Photographer

Vic Shoao-Chih Chiang - Founder & Advisor

Editorial Team

EditorialLead:VicShao-ChihChiangMediaDesign:CharlotteOelofsenReviewerPanel:CharlotteOelofsen,BriannaDean,ShikhaPundir

Contact Details Ouremail:Þ uoasofad@gmail.comYoucanalso indusonFacebook:Þ https://www.facebook.com/uoasofad

A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — I S S U E 3